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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27755830">The Lovers</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinydooms/pseuds/tinydooms'>tinydooms</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>We Three Together [16]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Mummy (1999), The Mummy Series</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aftermath, Brotherly Affection, Caretaking, Cuddles, F/M, Fluff, Love, Rick O'Connell drinks his Respectin Women juice, Romantic affection, baths, sweet man being sweet</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 21:20:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,803</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27755830</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinydooms/pseuds/tinydooms</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>God, it was good to be back in the city. Rick, shouldering two of the artefact-laden saddlebags, followed Evelyn and Jonathan through the fort back to their apartment. His whole body ached, but he was in better shape (he thought) than the two of them. Jonathan’s arm was still in its sling and Evelyn limped on bruised and blistered feet. But they were alive. Rick smiled. </p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Evy Carnahan O'Connell/Rick O'Connell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>We Three Together [16]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1714483</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>93</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Lovers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>The Lovers</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Fort Brydon, Cairo, October 1922 </em>
</p><p> </p><p>It was as the muezzins were calling the Maghrib prayer, at dusk on a Saturday evening, that three weary travelers on camelback limped through the stable gates at Fort Brydon. They were hot, hungry, sunburned, and sandy, and they gratefully surrendered the camels to the grooms. They did not, however, accept any help with their saddlebags, which they tottered off carrying over their shoulders claiming it was “no trouble”. </p><p>God, it was good to be back in the city. Rick, shouldering two of the artefact-laden saddlebags, followed Evelyn and Jonathan through the fort back to their apartment. His whole body ached, but he was in better shape (he thought) than the two of them. Jonathan’s arm was still in its sling and Evelyn limped on bruised and blistered feet. But they were alive. Rick smiled. </p><p>The fort itself was in shambles, broken masonry and fallen tree branches littering the ground a souvenir of Imhotep’s brief reign of terror. A couple of children, shamelessly skipping their prayers, were playing in the rubble; Jonathan called to them and, producing the wallet he had somehow managed to hang onto, sent them off to collect dinner for three from the officer’s mess. </p><p>“And if you make it snappy, you can keep the change!” he called after them. </p><p>“Let them keep it anyway,” Evelyn said, leading the way up the stairs. “They need it more than we do.”</p><p>“Quite,” said Jonathan. </p><p>“Let’s put these things in my closet,” Evelyn continued as they stumbled into the apartment. “Away from prying eyes, and all that.”</p><p>It felt a little surreal to be back in the Carnahan apartment, putting down the wealth of Hamunaptra among Evelyn’s clothes. It felt surreal to be alive, as it always did after a battle. Rick flexed his arms after putting down his heavy burden; he was stiff and sore after all this misadventure. The trip back to Cairo had been largely uneventful, though long and hungry. Dinner would be a welcome affair. Rick stood to one side as Evelyn and Jonathan moved around the apartment, kicking off their shoes, turning on the electric lights, and laying the table with plates and silverware. They were easy and comfortable despite everything, back on their own turf. Rick felt a little awkward as he pulled his boots off and set them by the front door. It was one thing to be together out in the desert, riding through the never-ending sand by day and camping under the stars by night. Rules broke down in the desert. Rick wanted to stay with these two mad scholars so much it was a physical ache in his chest, and they seemed to welcome him, but would things change now that they were back in civilization? Would they remember that they had only known each other for three weeks, and that they had saved him from the hangman’s noose? Would Evelyn change her mind about wanting him around?</p><p>“Rick,” she said, looking over at him with her glowing green eyes, “would you get the door? I think I hear those children coming.”</p><p>“Oh, sure.”</p><p>It was indeed dinner, a hearty mix of English and Egyptian fare, roast beef and potatoes and koshary and red lentil soup and flatbread. The kids had even brought up a sweet rice pudding and baklava for dessert. Rick’s stomach rumbled as they set the dishes out on the table. </p><p>“Bon appetit,” Jonathan said, and they fell on the food.</p><p>For a long time there was silence broken only by requests to pass the bread or potatoes. Jonathan brought out a bottle of wine and finally Rick sat back, holding his glass in his hand and looking at his companions. Evelyn looked over at him and smiled, her mouth full. Jonathan was spooning up the last of the rice pudding, his elbows on the table. </p><p>“I, um.” Rick hesitated. The Carnahans looked over at him, waiting. “Who should I talk to to get a room around here? Or should I go find an inn? I, uh, I gave up my room back when I thought we would leave Egypt.”</p><p>Evelyn swallowed, shaking her head. “No need. You’ll stay with us, of course.”</p><p>It was the <em> of course </em>, so casually stated, that made his heart jump. “Yeah?”</p><p>“You asked if you could, remember? Out in the desert? I mean,” Evelyn floundered, “unless you don’t <em> want </em> to, of course.”</p><p>“I want to,” Rick said. “I just...you barely know me. I could be anybody.”</p><p>“Oh yes, we know nothing at all,” Jonathan said wryly. “Only that you saved both of our lives several times over when no one would have blamed you for running away.”</p><p>“And you--” Evelyn broke off and blushed. When she spoke again, Rick was pretty sure it wasn’t what she had originally meant to say. “You’ve been such a brick these last few weeks. You just said you gave up your room, so of course you can stay with us. I’ll send out for a camp bed for you until we can go home to Zamalek.”</p><p>Rick felt an idiot grin spreading across his face. “That’ll be great. Thanks.”</p><p>Evelyn smiled at him, that small, happy smile she had given him so many times over the past few days as they sat atop their camel. Rick grinned back at her; for a moment they sat there smiling at each other, until Jonathan groaned and reached for another piece of baklava. </p><p>“If this is what living with the two of you under one roof is going to be like,” he groused, but there was no malice in it, and they all laughed. Evie pushed her chair back from the table and stood up. </p><p>“I’m going to have a bath,” she said, “and then I am going to sleep until I wake up. Gentlemen.”</p><p>She took herself off and Rick settled back into his chair. God, he was tired. Across from him, Jonathan gave a gusting sigh and lay down on the couch, propping his feet up. He reached for a slice of flatbread and tore off strips of it. </p><p>“Good to be back, isn’t it? Odd, though. I keep expecting something to jump out at me.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Rick said, relieved that he wasn’t the only one. “I always feel like this for days after a battle.”</p><p>Jonathan raised an eyebrow, a piece of bread halfway to his mouth. “And how many battles have you dealt with these past few years?”</p><p>Rick shrugged. “None since 1919 until now, but you know how it is.”</p><p>“Oh, yes.” Jonathan chewed and swallowed. “Tell you what, let’s not make this a habit, eh? If Evie comes across anything that Ardeth Bey disapproves of, we’ll try to convince her to leave it.”</p><p>Rick gave him a bemused look. “You’re really serious about keeping me around.”</p><p>Jonathan met his eyes; Rick saw the bantering tone flicker and die. “You saved Evie’s life. I couldn’t have done that alone, and you did it because you love her. Right?”</p><p>Rick nodded. </p><p>“And that’s just it: nobody has<em> ever </em> loved Evie the way she deserves to be loved. <em> Nobody. </em> Blokes have always wanted to change her, make her less herself. Do you want to do that?”</p><p>“No!I like her just the way she is, I--” Rick floundered; he wasn’t used to this kind of conversation. Jonathan pressed on. </p><p>“<em> And </em> you didn’t take off at any point in this whole mess, when I wouldn’t have blamed you if you had. I mean of course I’d have been bloody furious, but I’d have understood. I was sure we’d have to give up when those men attacked us on the boat, but you didn’t let us, did you?”</p><p>“No?”</p><p>“No,” Jonathan agreed and nodded. “You kept us safe and got us a whole new rig and everything. And you saved Evie, and you saved me, and for heaven’s sake, you’re a good man, Rick, a good friend. ‘Course we want to keep you around.”</p><p>Rick had no idea what to say to that. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, swallowed around the sudden tightness in his throat. Jonathan gave him a shrewd look and a smile. </p><p>“I’m going to lie here until Evie’s done in the bathroom and then you and I can toss a coin for who gets the first bath. Right?”</p><p>“Right,” Rick said, almost pathetically relieved that he didn’t have to form any more coherent answer. </p><p>Jonathan saluted him and settled down against the cushions, closing his eyes. Rick leaned back in his chair, stretching his legs out before him. He marveled at the Carnahans. What a pair. It was funny to think how wrong his first impressions of them had been. He hadn’t made a very good impression on them, either. But that was over now. </p><p>Rick let his eyes drift shut. The remains of dinner were still on the table and he needed to see about finding a cot or something, but for now it was enough to sit here, dozing, listening to the sound of running water coming from the bathroom, where Evelyn was having her bath. He needed a bath, himself. Rick found himself wondering what it would be like to lie in a tubful of hot water with Evelyn, bathing each other, their bodies soft and warm and--<em> no. Don’t go there, O’Connell. </em> They weren’t there yet. But hopefully...hopefully someday. Rick smiled to himself, and dozed. </p><p> </p><p>*</p><p>In the bathroom, Evie lay in the hot bathwater for a long time before scrubbing herself clean. The next time they set out on a dig, she was going to do things properly, not offend any desert tribes or awaken any undead creatures. And, she thought ruefully, looking at her black and blue toenails, she was going to wear the proper shoes. </p><p>She had rather enjoyed the trip home, as glad as she was that it was over. It had been nice to ride along in Rick’s arms, talking quietly with him or dozing as the mood took her. They had talked about all sorts of things: how to catalogue the artefacts in the saddlebag, her work at the museum library, the bones of Rick’s story of how he had come to Egypt first in 1905 and then again after the War. He had had a busy life so far, and a lonely one. Evie still felt a rush of sorrow for him when she thought of how he had been alone for so many years, even though he had kept his voice light. She had put her hand on his arm that second night in the desert, when the three of them had had to share a single blanket to keep warm, curling up alongside him, and Rick had wrapped his arm around her and held her close. But that was all. He was a gentleman, for all that her first impression had been one of crude dissipation. Rick was neither crude nor dissipated, Evie thought, rinsing her hair. He was a good man, one of the best she knew. </p><p>She climbed out of the bath and toweled herself dry, rubbing lotion into her skin. She had kept the blanket wrapped around her shoulders for sun protection, but was still quite red and raw, so she rubbed lotion into her face and body with no small amount of relief. She dabbed a little setting lotion into her hair and wound it up in a flannel cloth and with a happy sigh pulled on clean underwear and nightclothes: not a nightgown this time, but a pair of eau de nil silk pajama trousers and a matching sleeveless tunic. Evie thought she might go off of nightgowns for a bit. They weren’t particularly practical if one was going to have adventures. Then she caught the train of her thoughts and laughed, and went out of the bathroom. </p><p>Her eyes went first to Jonathan, sound asleep on the sofa, and then to Rick in his armchair. He was sprawled in it, his long legs kicked out and his arms folded across his chest, his head tilted at an awkward but endearing angle. Evie could see, where his collar was askew, the circle of bruises around Rick’s throat made by Imhotep’s hands, and beneath those the red remains of the ropeburn from his hanging. She swallowed. Poor Rick. He had been through so much; the War, the Legion, being orphaned as a child. And Evie knew she didn’t know the half of it. She had never been alone the way Rick had, and yet he was one of the kindest, gentlest men she had ever met, as much as he was brave and strong. </p><p><em> When we get back to Cairo, I’d like to stay with you, </em> he had said out there in the desert, shy and hesitant, but honest. Well, good, because she was keeping him. Men like Rick O’Connell weren’t exactly a dime a dozen. A surge of affection welled up in Evie’s breast. She wanted to reach out and smooth his hair back from his face. She wanted to climb into his lap and kiss him. She wanted to do something for him, to show him that she cared. </p><p>Turning, Evie went back into the bathroom. She had rinsed the tub on climbing out of it; now she turned the taps and let steaming hot water flow. She fetched out a clean towel and laid it on the bathroom counter, then went back into the front room. Rick had left his small suitcase near the door, days before; she picked it up and set it on the table, hoping he wouldn’t mind if she fetched out his pajamas. The case’s contents were neatly folded but jumbled; a couple of shirts, a fresh pair of trousers, a few sets of underthings, a couple pairs of socks, and a flannel bag containing a pair of shoes were inside. There was also a toilet bag, a linen bag for laundry, a ribbon with a couple of military medals on it, and a pair of books. Surprised, Evie picked up the books. <em> Around the World in Eighty Days </em> was bound in embossed green cloth covers; <em> A Princess of Mars </em>was in red binding with a paper jacket. Why did it surprise her that Rick owned a couple of books? So he liked adventure stories. Evie smiled. </p><p>There were no pajamas in the case, though. That was fine, she would lend him a pair of Jonathan’s; the trousers would probably fit, if not the shirt. Evie took the toilet bag and a set of underthings and fetched the pajamas from Jonathan’s room, and laid them out on the bathroom counter. If he was cross with her for going through his things, well, she would apologize later. Her intentions at least were honorable. As a final touch, Evie took out her little bottle of lavender oil and poured a glug of it into the bathwater. There. She went out into the front room and bent over him. </p><p>“Rick. <em> Rick.” </em></p><p>Rick opened his eyes. Darkness had fallen outside; he had slept longer than he intended. Evelyn bent over him, her hand on his shoulder, a smile tilting the corners of her mouth. She wore a pair of pale blue-green pajamas, the collar of which gaped open at the throat in such a way that Rick knew if he looked, he would get quite an eyeful. He stared up at Evelyn, beautiful, soft, clean, sweet-scented Evelyn, with wide eyes. </p><p>“I’ve run a bath for you,” she said, her voice pitched low. “Best take it before Jonathan does.”</p><p>Rick blinked up at her, still dazed with sleep. “You ran me a bath?”</p><p>Evelyn nodded. “Yes, go on, while the water’s hot.”</p><p>Rick looked at her. She stood before him with that smile on her face, the one that said she was happy, her hair wrapped up in a piece of white flannel. She was so lovely, and Rick suddenly wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and bury his face in her neck. He rubbed a hand over his face, resisting temptation. He was going to do right by this girl. </p><p>“I’ve laid out your things,” Evelyn continued, straightening. “I couldn’t find your pajamas, so I’ve given you a set of Jonathan’s. They should fit.”</p><p>“You laid out my things?” God, he sounded like an idiot.</p><p>Evelyn gestured, looking awkward. “You left your suitcase here, remember? When you wanted us to go away with you.”</p><p>Rick followed her glance; she had put the battered suitcase containing all his worldly possessions beside his chair. He remembered dropping it inside the door when he had come back to collect them, back when he had wanted to take the Carnahans and flee to safety. </p><p>“I hope you don’t mind.” Evelyn sounded suddenly anxious; he looked up at her again. “You just looked so peaceful, sitting there, I didn’t want to wake you until absolutely necessary.”</p><p>Rick stood. He put his hands on Evelyn’s shoulders, bent in to kiss her very gently on the corner of her mouth. “I don’t mind. Thank you.”</p><p>Evelyn blushed, relief washing over her face. “Go on then, before Jonathan wakes up and beats you to it.”</p><p>  “Can’t let that happen,” Rick whispered, and they both giggled, and Rick kissed her again before taking himself off to bathe.</p><p>It was warm in the bathroom, water pouring from the taps, tendrils of steam rising out of the bathtub. His underwear and the borrowed pajamas were set out on the countertop, his shaving tackle and toothbrush laid out alongside. A clean cotton towel hung beside the bath. The air smelled of lavender; Rick bent over the half-filled tub and inhaled. Beads of yellow lavender oil dotted the pale green bathwater. Rick’s throat closed, tears pricking perilously behind his eyes. Lavender in his bath and his things laid out. No one had ever done that for him before. He took a deep breath, willing the tears away, and began to strip off his clothes. The shirt was ruined, but maybe the pants could be saved. He was definitely going to have to mend the socks. He bundled the filthy outfit all together and stuffed it into the laundry hamper by the door. He took a deep breath and climbed into the tub. </p><p>The water was clean and hot and good, and Rick lay back in it, letting it seep into his hair and fill his ears, until only his face was unsubmerged. He took a deep, shuddering breath and let the fight go out of him, a load that he had carried for so long he had forgotten to notice it falling from his shoulders. He was here, safe and clean and fed, and he had a future to look forward to now. The thought was a strange one; Rick had not looked forward to anything much for a long time. But now he had Evelyn, and the promise of a life with her was so outrageous, so wonderful, that Rick sat up and reached for the soap to bring himself back to reality. </p><p>It was good to scrub away the desert and the last of Hamunaptra. Rick lathered his hair with Eveyln’s shampoo and rinse, scoured his body with soap and a soft sponge. He was all over bruises; he had suspected that he’d cracked a few ribs, so it would probably be for the best if he looked up a doctor tomorrow. His feet were fine, though, protected by his boots. That was a mercy. </p><p>Reluctantly rising from the bathwater , Rick dried himself with the towel Evelyn had laid out and wound it around his waist while he shaved. He pulled on his clean underwear and grinned to himself as he remembered Evelyn’s words: <em> I couldn’t find your pajamas </em>. How could he tell her that he never slept in pajamas? Jonathan’s were too short in the leg, but at least they were roomy in the waist, closed by a drawstring. The shirt didn’t fit. That was fine; Rick pulled his white undershirt on and left the other folded on the counter. He stepped out into the front room. </p><p>The lights had been turned off, save for a squat reading lamp on a side table. A camp bed had been set up beside it, it's canvas frame adorned with a thick feather mattress. The whole thing had been made up in fresh linen sheets and a pile of blankets, and there were two pillows stacked at the head. The blankets were turned down, ready to be crawled under. Rick’s throat closed again. This time he caught the tears with his hands, wiping his eyes and breathing deeply to get a hold of himself. Why was he reacting like this? It was just a bed. Just a nice, clean, soft bed, made up for him by a woman who loved him, who cared about him enough to make him as comfortable as she could after a fight for their lives. He must be more exhausted than he realized.</p><p>Rick looked around the room. Jonathan still lay sleeping on the couch, but Evelyn had tucked a blanket around him and stuck a pillow under his head. She had tidied away the remains of dinner, too. Rick scrubbed at his eyes again. Evelyn had not gone to bed yet; light shone out of her open bedroom doors. He took a deep breath and went to them. </p><p>Evelyn stood by the window, running a brush through her long hair. She turned at his tap and smiled. </p><p>“Hello,” she said. “Did you have a nice bath?”</p><p>Rick nodded, swallowing around the tightness in his throat. “Yeah, it was great. Thank you. And thanks for the pajamas; I don’t…” he trailed off, uncertain of what to say to her. </p><p>“The shirt didn’t fit,” Evie said, her glowing eyes dancing. “I didn’t think it would.”</p><p>“No.” Rick swallowed again, cleared his throat. Words pushed themselves up and out of his mouth. “Evelyn, I want to apologize for the way I treated you at Cairo Prison. I was incredibly rude and I shouldn’t have--I shouldn’t have called you names or kissed you the way I did. I never forced a woman to do anything before, and I knew it was wrong, and I did it anyway. I’m sorry.”</p><p>Evelyn stared at him.</p><p>“Oh,” she said after a long moment. “Oh, you know, I’d completely forgotten about that.”</p><p>“You...did?”</p><p>“Yes, it rather fell by the wayside,” Evelyn said, brushing a damp lock back from her face. “With everything that happened, you know. It wasn’t a good kiss, anyway. You’ve done much better since.”</p><p>Rick felt the blood rush to fill his face. “So you’re not angry?”</p><p>“Goodness, no, not anymore. I don’t think I’ve thought about it since the boat went down. Too much was happening. And anyway, you haven’t acted like that since, and given the circumstances at the time...Well, you’ve rather shown that you’re not that kind of man.”</p><p>Rick took a deep breath. “I was lost,” he said. “After the War. Lost and--and I fell apart. It ended with me punching some jackass and getting arrested for brawling, and then I couldn’t pay off the Warden and--and I was about to die, and I was just...angry. And then you and Jonathan showed up and, well.”</p><p>Evelyn cocked her head. “Rick, why are you apologizing to me?”</p><p>“I want to be with you,” Rick said. “I asked, out in the desert, if I could stay with you, and I mean it. I want to be with you, always; I want to go where you go and see what you do and help you do it. If you want me to. I don’t want there to be any bad feeling between us.”</p><p>Evelyn was staring at him, a smile playing on her lips. “I want you, Rick. I want you to stay with me. In all those ways and more.”</p><p>An idiot grin stretched across Rick’s face. </p><p>“Good,” he said. “That’s real good.”</p><p>They stood there smiling at each other, and then Rick realized that every light in the room was on, and that though the bed was turned down, Evelyn was nowhere near it. </p><p>“I thought you said you were going to bed,” he remarked, and it was Evelyn’s turn to blush. </p><p>“I was,” she replied, “and you’ll probably think me foolish, but I was scared. When I got into bed all I could think of was how the last time I slept in it, I woke up to<em> him </em> kissing me and…” Evie shuddered. “Rick, his face was <em> melting </em> against mine. I could <em> feel </em> it melting, and he was right here, like he’d just stepped out of a nightmare and I just...I just couldn’t go to bed like that.”</p><p>“Hey,” Rick said, reaching out. “Come here.”</p><p>Evelyn went into his arms and folded herself against him, pressing into his body. Rick wrapped his arms around her and held her close, stroking her half-dry hair. </p><p>“It’s okay,” he said. “He’s dead and gone. You laid him down and he can’t hurt you anymore. It’s okay.”</p><p>“I know,” Evelyn said, her breath warm against his neck. “It’s a stupid thing to be frightened about--”</p><p>“No it’s not. It was fucking terrifying. Excuse me,” he added as she scoffed a laugh. “Hell, it scared <em> me </em> and I wasn’t the one he was kissing.”</p><p>Evie looked up, a small smile in her eyes. “You were scared?”</p><p>Rick scoffed. “Of course I was! I don’t think I stopped being scared until Hamunptra had sunk into the desert.” He tipped her chin up so that he could see her eyes. “I wouldn’t want to sleep alone, either, with that the last memory I had in bed.”</p><p>“I rather thought I would come out and sleep in the armchair near you and Jonathan.”</p><p>“Nah, don’t do that, it wouldn’t be comfortable. Tell you what: how about I bring that camp bed in here and put it right here by the door? That way you won’t be alone and can sleep in your own bed. What do you think?”</p><p>It was a mildly audacious suggestion, but they <em> had </em>just spent two nights sharing a blanket in the desert. </p><p>“You would do that?”</p><p>“‘Course,” Rick said. “You’re my girl, Evelyn.”</p><p>That bright smile stretched across her face. “Rick, call me Evie.”</p><p>Rick kissed her. It was a good, proper kiss and Evie got her arms around him and kissed him back; for several long moments they ignored everything but each other. Rick brushed her nose with his when they broke apart. Evie smiled. If he was going to make a habit of that, she wouldn’t complain. </p><p>“Hang on a minute,” he said, and ducked out into the front room again, to turn off the reading lamp and carry his bed into Evie’s room. </p><p>“Here,” he said, taking Evie’s hand and leading her to her own bed. “I’ll tuck you in.”</p><p>“You will?” Her eyes danced, her smile amused. </p><p>“You ran me a bath,” he replied, shaking out her blankets. </p><p>“Has nobody ever run you a bath before?”</p><p>“No,” Rick said, bending down to peck her nose. “Not since I was a little kid.”</p><p><em> Get used to it, then. </em> Evie settled down on her mattress and let Rick tuck the blankets up around her. Really, he was a darling man. And he was <em> hers. </em>It was an extraordinary thought.</p><p>Evie rolled onto her side and watched him as he climbed into the camp bed. A thought came suddenly to her mind, something she had meant to say before. </p><p>“Rick,” she said, “you do realize that I’m <em> not </em> going to give up Egyptology?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Rick said, a flash of surprise passing over his face. “Soul-sucking fiends aside, it’s gone pretty well for you so far, hasn’t it?”</p><p>“Yes,” Evie said, chuckling. “I plan to continue, so I just wanted you to know.”</p><p>“I’ll have to buy more guns before we go out again.” Rick tugged his blankets up and grinned at her. “Good night, sweetheart.”</p><p>Smiling, Evie clicked her light off and lay down. “Good night, darling.”</p><p>She lay quietly in her soft bed, listening to Rick settling his blankets around him. Shortly his breath evened out as he fell asleep. Evie relaxed. If Rick could sleep, they were safe. Nothing could hurt them. She closed her eyes. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Author's Note: This is a Shameless Wallow in Fluff and Romance and I am very proud of it. This marks the end of the series, so thank you for coming on this ride with me. I hope you like this epilogue! Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think. :-)</p>
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